Screening at Santa Barbara International Film Festival late in the month, the 72-min documentaryPelotero, directed by Guagua Productions (Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin & Jon Paley) and narrated by John Leguizamo, is set in the Dominican Republican, where some kids begin baseball training at a young age, in hopes that they make it to the big leagues and aid their families back home, where poverty is commonplace.

The full synopsis reads:

In the run-up to the most important day of their lives, two young Dominican baseball players confront competition and corruption to achieve their Big League dreams.

For 16-year-old Dominican baseball players, the only real chance to escape crushing poverty comes every July 2nd, the day they become eligible to sign professional baseball contracts. Pelotero provides an intimate portrait of two prospects as they navigate the calculating, mercenary and often corrupt elements that surround Major League Baseball’s recruitment of the Island’s top talent.

Pelotero is produced by Bobby Valentine, Andrew Muscato and Isaac Solotaroff. If interested, like the film’s Facebook page HERE.

Take a look at two clips from the film below. I wasn’t able to embed the videos, but just click on the links.